Or they could just buy lots of red hot chilli peppers, store them to last up to spring. It warms the body without having to burn anything. Just add 3 chilli peppers to a noddle soup and its good. Add peppers to every food thats to be eaten. Food is importanter than gas in the long run.
I don't know if you're serious about the chili part. That just trick your body into thinking you're hot. That's why Thais love them, they sweat and then it evaporates and cool them down. But yes, food is definitely important in helping keep the body warm. Maybe they can adjust the heating to be lower than they're used to and just put on an extra layer or two of clothing.
do we always eat chili and consume it, of course this is not friendly to the body. I prefer to use SPICE/REMPAH drinks, like what Asian people do to brew drinks by adding ginger, turmeric, kapulogo and others [whose benefits are the same] we find so many in the asia area, so that not only warmth is obtained but immunity and stamina are maintained in times of extreme weather.